"Digital humanities" (DH) is a term that resists precise definition. While humanist scholars and librarians have been incorporating computing into their work for decades, the term as we approach it for the DHRI refers to a specific set of computing methods and techniques widely used by humanities students and scholars. This curriculum was created by scholars at the City University of New York Graduate Center with years of teaching, research, and administrative experience in digital humanities, and is based on best practices that evolved (and continue to evolve) from that work.

The curriculum is based on the teaching of foundational skills in humanities computing, rather than focusing on specific DH tools (like Omeka or Voyant). While those tools are valuable additions to many DH workflows, this approach seeks to serve as a starting point for humanities scholars who are curious about digital humanities, and have very little prior programming knowledge. Digital humanities is still an expanding, experimental space, and our approach seeks to provide a thorough demystification of computing concepts like using the command line, storing and sharing code, and the capabilities and limitations of programming languages. Most importantly, the DHRI will provide a space to build community where scholars can share knowledge, ask questions of each other, and support one another while treading new digital ground back in their respective workplaces.

The goal of the DHRI is to expand the level of comfort of humanities and cultural heritage scholars/professionals/students with basic computing techniques, tools, and concepts, that will provide a platform for moving forward with future projects. Participants will not leave "knowing Python" or having mastery of any one DH tool. Instead, we seek to provide an intellectual and social foundation on which to both conceptualize and build your project, as well as provide a community of peers who can support you going forward.